Forget the trade talk of the past two offseasons, now
Manny Ramirez apparently wants to retire with the Red Sox.
Ramirez
"Manny is at peace with his situation in Boston," Gene Mato, one of Ramirez's representatives, told The Boston Herald. "He has indicated to me that he would look forward to the opportunity to retire in a Boston uniform."
Ramirez, who is under contract through 2008, has two additional option years worth $20 million per season on his current contract. Mato wouldn't disclose to the Herald if talks had begun between the slugger and the Red Sox to pick up the option years.
However, Julian Tavarez, Ramirez's closest friend on the team, said that Ramirez is eager to have the option years exercised.
"Would you like Jennifer Lopez to give you a kiss? Of course Manny wants his option picked up," Tavarez told the Herald. "I'm telling you that, he does want to stay here, he does want his option years to be picked up. If they're going to give you 40 million, you're going to think about it? No."